Category: News

The new BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ South Lanarkshire College Low Carbon Teaching Building was officially opened today by Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning.

Designed by Austin-Smith:Lord, the building is the first in the UK to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating in the BREEAM 2014 new construction assessment process, and achieved this rating at both design and post-construction stage. It has been deemed to excel in all ten categories under BREEAM (Management, Health + Wellbeing, Energy, Transport, Water, Materials, Waste, Land Use + Ecology, Pollution and Innovation).

The building is adjacent to the main campus in East Kilbride and provides eight classrooms with learning facilities for a range of purposes, from daily teaching of the three main college departments (Business, Care and Construction) to providing facilities and hosting workshops for the local and business communities.

The project team included CCG Scotland (Building Contractors), Will Rudd Davidson (Civil + Structural Engineers), Cundall (Mechanical + Electrical Engineers), Gardiner + Theobald (Project Managers), Doig + Smith (Quantity Surveyors), and BRE Scotland.

Stewart McKillop, Principal of South Lanarkshire College said “We are absolutely delighted that the new building is the first building in the UK to achieve ‘Outstanding’ BREEAM and that the design from ASL produced such a superb building.”

Graham Ross, Project Partner said “It was very nice to hear positive feedback on the building at the opening ceremony; especially from the students and staff. We’re proud to be associated with this pioneering project.”

Catherine Cosgrove, Sustainability Accredited Architect at Austin-Smith:Lord, added “Obtaining BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ was a challenge and through teamwork it’s been secured. It’s always a privilege to work with engaged, informed and enthusiastic clients and we’re pleased that the project has met the expectations of the College.”

The project has been shortlisted in the prestigious BREEAM Awards 2016 which showcase some of the finest examples of sustainable buildings from around the world.

Helensburgh Town Centre Public Realm has been shortlisted in the 2016 RICS Awards (Regeneration category). The work was completed in summer 2015 and forms part of Argyll & Bute Council’s CHORD regeneration initiative (Campbeltown, Helensburgh, Oban, Rothesay, Dunoon).

Graham Ross, Project Partner at Austin-Smith:Lord, said “we’re obviously delighted that this project is receiving positive attention from a diverse array of awards panels. The project is a key component of town centre regeneration initiatives undertaken by Argyll +Bute Council and it’s been heartening to receive positive feedback on the impact the Helensburgh CHORD project has had ”.

The project has been very well received, having also been shortlisted in the FX International Design Awards, the Civic Trust Awards, and the Scottish Property Awards (winner announced next month).

We look forward to the RICS Awards Ceremony in April!

You can read more about the project here:

https://www.austinsmithlord.com/projects/helensburgh-town-centre/

Our new low carbon teaching building for South Lanarkshire College, which was the first to achieve an Outstanding rating in the BREEAM 2014 new Construction assessment process, has been shortlisted in the prestigious BREEAM Awards 2016; which showcase some of the finest examples of sustainable buildings from around the world.

BREEAM is the world’s leading sustainability assessment method for master-planning projects, infrastructure and buildings. Globally, there are more than 500,000 BREEAM certified developments while more than 2.2 million buildings across 72 countries, have been registered for assessments, since it was launched in 1990.

The college has been deemed to excel in all ten categories under BREEAM which range from energy and waste, to health and well-being.

Catherine Cosgrove, lead architect says: “Our brief from South Lanarkshire College was a very simple one – to design a new eight classroom teaching building that achieved a BREEAM Outstanding rating. Construction is one of the three main departments within the College and the Client team wanted to experience every part of the design and construction of a low energy building. They intended to use the process as part of their teaching curriculum, something that worked well for them previously when they built a low energy exemplar house on the campus.

“Particular attention was paid to planning methods of post occupancy evaluation. Not only is this monitoring a requirement of the BREEAM “Outstanding” target but it can also be integrated into the construction curriculum. The intention is that the students will play an ongoing role in monitoring and assessing the performance of the building throughout its life.

“It is hugely rewarding to be involved in such an exemplary project which has education at its core,” she adds.

With BRE as a project partner, South Lanarkshire College initially developed a BREEAM pre-assessment for the project at inception stage and included this as part of the project brief. Austin-Smith: Lord, working with Will Rudd Davidson and Cundall, developed the design to meet these requirements and making best use of the natural resources of the site.

Using a fabric first approach to low energy design, the ground floor, external walls and roofs are highly insulated, along with all windows being triple glazed. All mechanical and electrical services use low energy fittings. The heating is provided by using a ground source heat pump, linked into an underfloor heating system. A photovoltaic array on the main roof provides 9.36 pkw of electricity. The amount of energy generated by the renewable technologies fully balances out the amount needed to run the building. A rainwater harvesting system was used to flush the toilets, along with low water use fittings. A SUDS drainage scheme for the car park allowed all BREEAM credits for water use, including the innovation credit, to be achieved.

Angus Allan Depute Principal of South Lanarkshire College said “South Lanarkshire College has Sustainability as a key aim. All three of the college’s buildings on its campus have ground source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels to reduce the college’s reliance on energy production from fossil fuels. This new building takes the college a step forward. It has a highly-insulated shell, innovative solar chimneys for ventilation, rainwater harvesting for flushing toilets and a net-zero energy footprint. We are very pleased that it has been shortlisted for such a prestigious award.”

Please contact Ilya Scott at Real PR (07799 416476) with any queries.

Austin-Smith:Lord is pleased to announce the promotion of Liverpool-based Director Richard Cronin to the position of Partner.

Richard, who joined the UK architecture practice in 1996, is a leading specialist in the transport and infrastructure sector and his skills complement those of the current four partners directing the practice studios in London, Cardiff, Glasgow and Liverpool: Martin Roe, Graham Ross, Iain Wylie and Neil Chapman.

Neil Chapman, Partner, says:
“Richard’s considerable experience coupled with his deep knowledge of the practice will be invaluable in helping us continue to shape the business and grow over coming years.

“As a partner based in the Liverpool studio Richard will, in particular, enhance our ability to secure new opportunities in transport and infrastructure and achieve the wider growth of the business across the UK.”

During his career at Austin-Smith:Lord, Richard has delivered a number of high profile transport projects including Blackburn’s landmark railway station and GMPTE Phase 3a Metrolink in Manchester.

He is currently heading up Austin-Smith:Lord’s work within the Framework for Merseytravel’s estate as well as Wolverhampton Transport Interchange, Ashton Interchange and Wigan Hub. He is also part of the practice-wide team involved in Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT)’s Glasgow Subway Modernisation project.

 

Please contact Joanna Harris at Real PR (07884 187 404) with any press queries.

Helensburgh Town Centre Public Realm has been shortlisted in the 2016 Scottish Property Awards in the ‘Town Centre Regeneration Project of the Year’ category.

The work was completed earlier this year and forms part of Argyll & Bute Council’s CHORD regeneration initiative (Campbeltown, Helensburgh, Oban, Rothesay, Dunoon).

Graham Ross, Project Partner at Austin-Smith:Lord, said “we are delighted at Helensburgh’s shortlisting in the 2016 Scottish Property Awards, and hope we can emulate the success we enjoyed last year in the same category.”

The project has also been shortlisted for an FX international design award (winner announced 25^th November) and is a regional finalist in the 2016 Civic Trust Awards (winner announced 21^st December).

You can read more about Helensburgh Town Centre Public Realm here:

https://www.austinsmithlord.com/projects/helensburgh-chord/

We are pleased to announce our sponsorship of the Scottish Civic Trust Conference 2015 – Housing in Scotland: Learning from the Past, Building for the Future. The event is being held on 24^th November in Linlithgow Burgh Halls.

Graham Ross, Partner at Austin-Smith:Lord said “Given our track record in residential and urban regeneration projects throughout Scotland we take a keen interest in the ongoing national debate with respect to housing. It’s a wide ranging and highly topical issue that encompasses strategic planning, sustainable place-making, low-carbon construction, housing affordability and tenure.

“In recognition of the significance of the ongoing housing debate it is timely that the Scottish Civic Trust has decided to dedicate its annual conference to the topic. Austin-Smith:Lord are delighted to support and sponsor the event. We look forward to engaging in wide-ranging discussions at the conference with a diverse array of delegates from across the country.”

To find out more about the event, or to book a place, follow this link:
https://www.scottishcivictrust.org.uk/events/sct-conference-2015-housing-in-scotland/

To view some of Austin-Smith:Lord’s work in the residential sector, follow this link:
https://www.austinsmithlord.com/our-work/sectors/residential/

Scotland’s first Outdoor Museum has been shortlisted in the prestigious, international FX Awards in the ‘museum and exhibition space’ category.

The Outdoor Museum is a key component of the recently completed Helensburgh Town Centre Public Realm project. The Museum was designed as a collaboration between Austin-Smith:Lord and artists WAVEparticle.

Located in Helensburgh’s civic heart, Colquhoun Square, the Outdoor Museum concept emerged in direct response to extensive community consultation undertaken as part of the town centre regeneration project. There was a clear public desire for a ‘town museum’ to celebrate the rich community and social history of Helensburgh.

Local dialogue, expertise and input was at the heart of the project. A series of lively, convivial community days enabled local people to gather together stories and artefacts about the town that are surprising and revealing; entertaining and stimulating, educational and informative.

Redefining traffic management bollards in the public realm design as Outdoor Museum ‘plinths’ showcases the artefacts and artworks and ensures the exhibits are accessible and integrated into the street scene. The project is particularly an opportunity to record the untold stories- gems of history and heritage.

WAVEparticle Lead Artist, Peter McCaughey, said: “We are delighted that Helensburgh’s Outdoor Museum has made the shortlist for such a notable award, despite stiff competition from around the globe.  We imagined Scotland’s first Outdoor Museum as a place where local treasures could be permanently on display alongside objects of national significance and newly commissioned artworks, reflecting both the big history of the town and the smaller stories that make up our world.  We envisaged this museum with a collection open to the elements, where the wind and rain and sun and touch of hand make their own contribution to the collection as it grows over the years.”

Graham Ross, Project Partner at Austin-Smith:Lord, said: “The Outdoor Museum is a beautifully simple way to reveal Helensburgh’s rich history and collective memory through the fusion of art, artefacts and public space. The Museum is located in Helensburgh’s principal civic square and captures some aspects of its celebrated and hidden history. The Museum has been curated in liaison with the local community and enriched by unique, site specific artwork. The Museum is extendable and it’s hoped that it grows incrementally over time to tell the unfolding story of Helensburgh.”

Further information is available at https://outdoor-museum.com

The shortlisted projects are available on the FW Awards website: https://www.designcurial.com/news/the-fx-shortlist-2015-4681472/2

The winner will be announced on the 25^th November in London.

Austin-Smith:Lord has been appointed by Wales’ leading Chamber Orchestra, Sinfonia Cymru, to undertake a feasibility study on Newport’s Great Central Hall.

Built in 1904, this once thriving cultural venue fell into decline after its last public performance in the 1960s by the Halle orchestra and has remained vacant ever since. Despite this, the Hall still has great potential to be used as a cultural and performing arts space and Sinfonia Cymru, in partnership with Newport City Council and the owners of the building, are looking to restore the once iconic venue to use as a new home for the progressive orchestra.

The feasibility study, to be undertaken by Austin-Smith:Lord and its team of supporting consultants, will ascertain the cost and opportunity of the creation of a mixed use arts and cultural development which will once again breathe life into the building and become the heart of the Cultural Quarter in the City.

Austin-Smith:Lord has opened a new studio in London. Located in Shoreditch, the new studio enables Austin-Smith:Lord to collaborate with new and existing clients on emerging opportunities in London, elsewhere in the UK and beyond.

Managing Partner Neil Chapman commented. “New projects and an increasing level of enquiries in London has meant that now is the time to open a new London studio.“

The London studio will be managed by Associate Architect, Tope Balogun, and provides the multi-disciplinary service available in each of Austin-Smith:Lord’s studios, including: architecture; interior design; urban design; landscape architecture and conservation.

Current work in London includes a prestigious project at Kew Gardens for the Historic Royal Palaces.

Please contact Joanna Harris at Real PR (07884 187 404) with any press queries.

The Moray Council have approved and published the Central Elgin Regeneration: Public Design Charrette report outlining an ambitious vision for the Cathedral City supported by a development framework and prioritised action plan focussed on delivering town centre regeneration.

The Moray Council, on behalf of the Moray Economic Partnership and with funding support from Scottish Government, sponsored the Charrette which was led by Austin-Smith:Lord with regeneration consultants Douglas Wheeler Associates Ltd, property experts Ryden, Transport Planning Ltd, and arts collective WAVEparticle.

The aim of the Charrette, undertaken over five days in March 2015, was to engage local residents, businesses and stakeholders in planning the future of Central Elgin. More than 300 people were involved in fifteen different events to help shape their community and develop an array of realistic, but transformational, projects to revitalise the historic centre, rejuvenate Cooper Park (the largest in Moray) and redefine the role for Lossie Green following the completion of the town’s flood defences.

Prior to, and during, the Charrette secondary school pupils and Moray College students participated in various interactive workshops and events facilitated by Peter McCaughey, Director of WAVEparticle. Local businesses, Elgin BID and local landowners and developers participated in thematic, focussed sessions targeting economic development and regeneration in central Elgin. As a result the Council have committed to funding a Development Officer tasked with bringing vacant and underused properties back in to use on the High Street.

Graham Ross, Partner, who led the Charrette team said, “the Central Elgin Charrette demonstrated the benefit of collaborative working between the local authorities, community and businesses. The challenges Elgin faces are common to many towns in Scotland, but the solutions are unique. Elgin has some fantastic assets as a legacy of its rich history, the presence of the College, some forward thinking businesses and many passionate and committed members of the community capable of helping drive the rejuvenation of the town. Hopefully the findings of the Charrette helps optimise the benefit of these assets and focuses efforts to secure funding to progress change in the short, medium and longer-term.”

The Charrette report can be viewed at the following link: https://www.moray.gov.uk/downloads/file100757.pdf